Best for: First-time visitors who want the famous spectacle and don't mind crowds or a sales pitch
Chouara
The iconic, centuries-old tannery — the postcard view of colourful stone dye-vats.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Chouara tannery, Fes · Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chouara vs Sidi Moussa
Choose the Chouara tannery for the famous view over colourful dye vats, and accept the crowds and the leather-shop sales pitch. Choose the smaller Sidi Moussa tannery for the same traditional process from a calmer terrace. At either one, agree any fee first, take the sprig of mint for the smell, and remember you have no obligation to buy.
- Written from Fes
- Private or small-group trips
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The two sides
Fes is famous for leather, and the tanning is still done largely by hand using techniques that have changed little for centuries — hides soaked, stripped, then steeped in honeycombs of stone vats filled with natural dyes. Two tanneries draw visitors. The Chouara tannery, in the Qarawiyyin quarter of Fes el-Bali, is the big one: the largest, and the source of the iconic photograph of colourful dye-vats seen from above. You view it from the terrace of one of the leather shops that ring it, where you'll typically be handed a sprig of mint to hold against the smell — and where, having shown you the view, the shop will hope you buy a bag or a jacket on the way out. The Sidi Moussa tannery sits on the other side of the medina, nearer the river, and is a smaller, far quieter affair: the same workaday process, the same terrace-from-a-shop view, but a fraction of the crowds. Both are part of the medina's living leather quarter, and both involve the same gentle commercial choreography — being steered to a terrace and then a showroom — that is simply part of the Fes experience.
Best for: Travellers wanting a calmer, more low-key look at the same traditional process
Sidi Moussa
A smaller, quieter tannery across the medina near the river — far fewer tourists.
Chouara tannery, Fes.
Chouara tannery, FesSide by side, one question at a time
What shapes a trip, with Chouara and Sidi Moussa answered together.
Fame & scale
Chouara. The famous one — the largest tannery, centuries old, the postcard image of Fes
Sidi Moussa. Smaller and far less known — a low-key, workaday tannery most visitors never reach
Location in the medina
Chouara. In the Qarawiyyin quarter of Fes el-Bali, ringed by leather shops
Sidi Moussa. On the other side of the medina, nearer the river
The view
Chouara. The classic overhead view of colourful stone dye-vats, from a leather-shop terrace
Sidi Moussa. The same kind of terrace view over the vats, but smaller and more intimate
Crowds
Chouara. Busy — a headline sight, so expect other visitors sharing the terraces
Sidi Moussa. Quiet — far fewer tourists, often nearly to yourself
The sales pitch
Chouara. You're shown the view from a shop balcony; expect a leather-shop sales pitch afterwards
Sidi Moussa. Also viewed from a shop terrace, but the pressure tends to be gentler and less practised
Atmosphere & authenticity
Chouara. Spectacular but well-trodden — the iconic show, with the trade built around visitors
Sidi Moussa. Calmer and more workaday — a quieter window onto the same traditional process
The smell & the mint
Chouara. Pungent — the famous tannery smell; you'll usually be offered mint to hold to your nose
Sidi Moussa. The same earthy tannery smell, generally with fewer people and a calmer pace
Tips & faux-guides
Chouara. Faux-guides may steer you here; agree any fee first — the terrace is a tip, no obligation to buy
Sidi Moussa. Less touted, but the same etiquette applies — be polite, firm, and settle any fee in advance
Who it suits
Chouara. Anyone wanting the must-see iconic spectacle, crowds and sales pitch accepted
Sidi Moussa. Those who'd trade the postcard fame for calm and far fewer tourists
Which to choose
If you want the must-see, iconic spectacle — the postcard sea of colourful dye-vats — go to the Chouara tannery, and simply accept the crowds and the leather-shop sales pitch that come with it. If you'd rather a calmer, less touristy tannery showing the same traditional process, head for the smaller Sidi Moussa across the medina, where you'll often have the terrace nearly to yourself. Either way, the leather quarter — and faux-guides steering you toward a shop — is part of the Fes experience rather than a scam: be polite but firm, agree any fee before you accept it, take the offered sprig of mint for the smell, and remember the terrace view is a tip with no obligation to buy. With time, see Chouara for the spectacle and Sidi Moussa for the calm.
Read the full guide to Chouara.
Other choices people weigh
More side-by-side comparisons, written from Fes.
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Marrakech or Essaouira?Marrakech and Essaouira are only 2.5 hours apart yet feel like different countries — one a frenetic imperial city, the other a wind-swept Atlantic port with a relaxed Gnawa soul.Read the comparison
Chefchaouen or Fes?Chefchaouen and Fes are the two most visited cities of northern Morocco — one an intimate Rif mountain village famous for its blue-washed walls, the other a large imperial city with a medieval medina still lived in.Read the comparison
Fes or Meknes?Fes and Meknes are only 60 km apart and both carry UNESCO World Heritage status as imperial capitals — yet Meknes sees a fraction of Fes's visitors and rewards those who stop.Read the comparisonAgadir or Essaouira?Both Agadir and Essaouira sit on Morocco's Atlantic coast — but one is a purpose-built resort city with a 10 km beach and the other is a UNESCO-listed medieval port with an arts scene and steady alizé winds.Read the comparisonChouara or Sidi Moussa: your questions
The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.
What is the difference between the Chouara and Sidi Moussa tanneries in Fes?
Both are working leather tanneries in the Fes medina that use the same centuries-old hand process and are viewed from the terrace of a surrounding leather shop. The Chouara tannery, in the Qarawiyyin quarter, is the large, famous one — the source of the iconic photo of colourful dye-vats — and is busy. The Sidi Moussa tannery, across the medina near the river, is smaller and much quieter, with far fewer tourists.
Which Fes tannery is best to visit?
For the famous spectacle — the postcard view of the colourful vats — visit the Chouara tannery and accept that it is busy and that the leather shop will give you a sales pitch. If you prefer a calmer, less touristy look at the same traditional tanning process, the smaller Sidi Moussa tannery is the better choice. If you have time, see both.
Is it free to see the Chouara tannery?
You view the tannery from the terrace of a leather shop overlooking the vats, and there is generally no fixed entry fee — a small tip for the terrace view is customary and there's no obligation to buy. Be aware that faux-guides may attach themselves and expect payment, so agree any fee before accepting help, and be polite but firm if you don't want to buy leather goods afterwards.
Why do they give you mint at the Fes tanneries?
Tanning uses natural substances that give the tanneries a strong, pungent smell. Leather shops typically hand visitors a sprig of fresh mint to hold near the nose on the terrace to make the smell more bearable while you take in the view of the dye-vats. It's offered at both Chouara and, where relevant, the quieter tanneries.
Will I be pressured to buy leather at the tannery?
Expect a sales pitch — the terraces with the best views belong to leather shops, and after showing you the vats they'll hope you buy a bag, jacket or pouffe. This is part of the experience rather than a scam. You're under no obligation to buy; a polite, firm 'no thank you' and a small tip for the view is perfectly acceptable. The pressure tends to be lighter at the quieter Sidi Moussa than at busy Chouara.
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